N8m Prize Up for Grabs as 190 Players Compete in Squash Tournament

The fourth edition of the Prime Atlantic Squash Tournament kicked off in Lagos on Monday. A total of 190 players are in the mix for the N8m prize money at this year's championship happening at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere.

This number shows a big jump from the 150 players who took part in the 2025 edition. Tomi Falase, the Chairman of the Prime Atlantic Squash Tournament, stated that this annual event helps find and grow talent while pushing squash forward in Nigeria.

He mentioned that the increasing number of participants shows how popular the sport is getting. It also highlights the ongoing efforts to promote squash from the grassroots level.

"We are looking forward to more improvements in this year’s edition. Every year, we witness growth in both participation and the quality of competition.

"There are more players competing this year than we had last year, which is a positive sign for the development of squash in the country," he said.

Falase pointed out that this championship has become one of the biggest squash events in Nigeria. He praised the sponsors for their ongoing support of the sport.

"We are very grateful to Prime Atlantic and our other partners for supporting this tournament.

"We need more corporate organisations to invest in squash because sponsorship is critical to the growth of the game and the development of young talents," he added.

He also shared his thoughts on younger players coming up in the sport. Falase is hopeful about the future of Nigerian squash, noting that junior players are becoming more competitive.

"There has been remarkable improvement among the younger players.

"They are becoming more competitive and are beginning to challenge the established stars.

"We are seeing encouraging growth at the grassroots level, and I believe that in the next few years, more female players will emerge to compete at the highest level.

"That is good for the game because it creates healthy competition and helps to raise standards," he said.

Wasiu Sanni, the Tournament Director and a former national No. 1 player, also spoke. He praised the organisers for keeping the championship alive but raised concerns about the need for more focus on the women's category.

He called for greater efforts to boost female participation in the game. Some players are ready to make their mark, including Ebifemi Taiwo and Samuel Nduka, who reached the quarter-finals last time.

In the opening matches, David Agbaje won against Mohammed Azim 3-0, and Daniel Awe also took a 3-0 victory over Godswill Ejiro.

In the U-19 Boys’ category, Usman Abdusalami defeated Omotayo Ayomi 3-1.